Inclusive workplaces benefit everyone
It’s said that “diversity is being asked to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” When you are plotting the next step in your career, be sure to look for inclusion. In other words, you want to land at a workplace that is not only welcoming but enthusiastically accepting of who you are and all you have to contribute. Beyond your technical expertise, this future employer is interested in your unique way of seeing the world and how that vision can put fresh ideas on the table. As it turns out, that inclusive workplace culture benefits more than individual staff members: it makes for a healthier, more successful organization — and that translates to job security.
Quite simply, businesses that value diversity outperform those that don’t. Delivering Through Diversity, a 2018 report by management consulting firm McKinsey, shows that executive teams in the top 25 percent for diversity are 33 percent more likely to deliver a greater profit. The positive effects of diversity go beyond the executive suite. Diverse work teams are more likely to advance ideas that challenge conventional thinking. What’s more, diversity in teams makes for more respectful interactions, as members become more accustomed to hearing ideas that make them stop and think, and as a result, more skilled at treating everyone fairly and reaching consensus than their peers on heterogeneous teams.
While an earmark of a respectful, equitable culture is satisfied employees, the reverse is also true. The Oakland, Calif.–based Kapor Center for Social Impact, whose mission is to foster more diversity in the technology industry, has studied the correlation between negative workplace culture and retention. They’ve established that turnover costs tech businesses more than $16 billion annually, with perceived unfair treatment prompting 40 percent of those departures.
In an increasingly competitive talent market, businesses looking to attract employees are promoting the positive culture that diversity fosters, according to chron.com. These businesses often lead with their multicultural employees at recruiting events like the AISES National Conference College and Career Fair, where it’s easy to spot organizations that value inclusion. To keep these employees, organizations know that they must continue to sustain a workplace with opportunities for personal and professional advancement for all. More than ever, inclusion is their foundation for current profitability and future growth — and that benefits everyone.
The Top 50 List (in alphabetical order)*
- 3M
- American Chemical Society
- America’s Navy
- Amerind Risk
- AT&T
- BMM Testlabs
- BNSF Railway
- The Boeing Company
- Bonneville Power Administration
- Boston Scientific
- Bristol Bay Native Corporation
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Cherokee Nation Human Resources
- Chevron
- Comcast NBCUniversal
- ExxonMobil
- GE Aviation
- General Motors
- IBM
- Intel
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Mayo Clinic
- Merck
- Microsoft
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Science Foundation
- National Security Agency
- Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources
- Naval Sea Systems Command
- NextEra Energy
- Northrop Grumman
- Oracle
- Procter & Gamble
- Raytheon
- Sandia National Laboratories
- Teach for America
- U.S. Air Force
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Coast Guard
- U.S. Department of Energy
- U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- USDA Agricultural Research Service
- USDA Forest Service
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- VGT, an Aristocrat company
- Wells Fargo
Supporting Workplace Diversity
There’s no question that diverse workplaces are good for employees — they’re also good for the organization and, arguably, the wider community. If you work for a company that actively strives to be an inclusive organization, you can have a role in contributing to that robust diverse culture.
Start by making sure your unique perspective is part of the discussion. After all, when everybody is in agreement, it’s hard to climb out of the box — a variety of viewpoints sparks innovation. Also, be who you are, ready to share your culture and answer questions. A great way to be a presence in the organization is through an employee resource group (ERG). These voluntary, employee-led internal groups support an organization’s inclusion goals while offering employees a place to support each other.
Many Top 50 Workplaces have groups specifically for Native American employees, while others have groups that are more broadly based but also welcoming and effective. As a member of an ERG, you might have a role in recruiting other Native Americans, going to job fairs and colleges to promote the company, and spreading the word among your professional connections that yours is an inclusive, welcoming workplace. Through the group you could also have a role in reaching out to employees who may feel out of place at work. These colleagues often move on, but a resource group can address cultural disconnects and be a great place for finding mentors to help get past career obstacles. Another great reason to participate is the two-way cultural benefits. An ERG validates the culture of its members, who often host events and reach out to educate colleagues and the wider community, and many engage in tutoring and other forms of community service, like engaging Native students with hands-on STEM demonstrations.
10 Organizations Creating Change
In addition to the achievements in diversity demonstrated by the Top 50 Workplaces for Indigenous STEM Professionals, there are many organizations committed to making progress on their own path to inclusion, equity, and opportunity for all their employees. Here listed alphabetically, we recognize 10 of those workplaces actively working to firmly establish a culture of diversity and inclusion.
Airbnb
Amazon
Federal Aviation Administration
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Indian Health Service
Mitre
Navajo Transitional Energy Company
San Diego Gas & Electric
TIAA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Earmarks of a Diverse Workplace
The business case for diversity may be well established, but what should you look for in an inclusive workplace? Here are some characteristics of organizations that do more than just talk about their values:
- The company recruits at multicultural events and advertises jobs in publications with diverse audiences.
- Diversity goes beyond race, age, physical ability, gender, and sexual orientation to a wider acceptance of different cultures.
- Diversity data is updated regularly and available.
- Diversity events are well publicized.
- Internships are a pipeline for recruiting diverse candidates.
- The company goes beyond diversity training to regularly assess its progress.
- Employees are given regular satisfaction surveys.
- Marketing materials, website, etc., reflect a commitment to diversity.
- Management ranks reflect workforce diversity.
- Internal groups for diverse employees are officially encouraged.
- Vendors and suppliers include minority-owned businesses.
- Philanthropic outreach includes multicultural organizations.
